The Demon's Song - By Kendra Leigh Castle Page 0,18
this network of vamps, if that’s what they are, is taken care of. They know who you are, remember? That one I grabbed in the parking lot wasn’t waiting for you just to talk, I promise.”
She frowned and looked away, giving Phenex another opportunity to stare. She was more mouthwatering in scrubs and a ponytail than he had previously believed might be possible. Everything about her, including his reaction to her, was unexpected.
And because he could be honest with himself, if no one else, Phenex knew that was one of the main reasons he was sitting here. In an eternity of sameness, she was, for some reason, different.
“Even if they saw me, I’m no threat. That’s what I don’t understand. I’m just a human who was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Sofia said. “If I had some secret insider knowledge, I would have done something about it by now.”
The forlorn note in her voice tugged at him. Phenex tried to shake it off. “One, these vampires are outside of Justin’s purview. They don’t accept him as king. They don’t follow rules, and they don’t care about peaceful coexistence. Two, they don’t know what you heard, what Sara might have said to you. You might know something as simple as a name you shouldn’t. They’d consider that too much. Three, they enjoy killing, so it’s not like they need much of an excuse.”
“So you followed me around until one of them tried,” she said.
“Didn’t take long. I told you, you made excellent bait.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Yay for me. Did you at least find something out?”
Phenex considered her. Normally, he would have refused to say. But these rogue vamps weren’t going to leave her alone regardless of what she did or didn’t know. Terra Noctem was off-limits in conversation, because staying hidden, staying little more than an obscure myth, was key to its survival. But as far as the vampires, why not? They weren’t his kind. If she wanted to get pissed and turn vampire hunter eventually, it was just less work for him in the long run.
“Interrogating him isn’t my job,” Phenex finally answered. “I passed him off to one of my brothers, which is how I got here before you did. Your admirer is now sitting in a cell…elsewhere. He’ll talk. Most renegade vamps don’t amount to much when you get them alone and start hurting them.”
She winced, ever so slightly. Compassion, Phenex decided, was her weak spot. It disgusted him less in her than most, but he still didn’t understand such sentiment for those so unworthy of it.
“Don’t feel bad for him, Sofia. He would have had a lot of fun killing you.”
“Oh, I know,” she replied, a frown creasing her forehead as she stared into her coffee. “I just… Hurting people in general doesn’t really appeal to me. I’m a nurse, remember?”
“Then you probably hurt people all the time,” Phenex said, amused by the dirty look she gave him.
“Keep it up and you’ll find out.”
“That a promise?”
She wasn’t in the mood to play. Disappointed, and fascinated in spite of himself, Phenex watched various emotions flicker across her face as she struggled to keep her cool. There didn’t seem to be any guile to her. That stunning face was an open book, and it was more refreshing than he’d imagined to find her so easy to read. He was used to deception. Sofia had already proven herself terrible at it.
“This isn’t funny. Not to me,” she finally said, her voice strained. “I can’t have you staying here with Amy and my job and… Look, what if I leave DC? I have some time off saved up. If I took a trip home, I’d be less of a distraction.”
It was bizarre, how little he enjoyed dashing her hopes.
“You want to endanger your family, too? They’ll chase you, Sofia. Good and bad, vamps enjoy the chase, and we’re talking about people who have all the time in the world. Until this group is wiped out, you’re not safe anywhere.”
“What about Amy? Is someone watching her, too?” she asked.
Phenex shook his head. “Not necessary. She was outside the bathroom, remember? And obviously thralled when she was escorted out. Unlike you.”
Sofia looked so crestfallen that, for just a moment, he wished he could take it back.
Which was stupid. She belonged here. Within reach.
“Look, don’t worry,” he heard himself saying, common sense overridden by his strange instinct to soothe her. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”